


Fire, Sweet Fire

by Soundone



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Drama, Eventual Sex, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-12 15:42:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18013658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soundone/pseuds/Soundone
Summary: Fire, sweet fire.She had always coveted it, the energy, the spontaneity, the warmth. Unlike frozen Flora, unlike the ice she calls a home, the flames that always seem to dance just outside of her reach is a beacon that she can only watch, hoping some of its heat would melt the icy bars of her prison, if only for a moment.So, when the sun itself invades her life, dangling all of Flora's fruitless fantasies within a woman made of fire and flesh, the lonely girl on top her frozen throne begins to seethe with jealousy and rage as a blizzard years in the making descends upon the two.





	1. Chapter 1

_ Ice, oh ice, how stiff I am _

_ Frozen to the ground. _

_ Would anyone care to dance with me, _

_ two birds in the sky, unbound. _

 

_ Fire, sweet fire, how bright you burn _

_ won’t you come and melt my heart? _

_ Oh can’t I run away with you, _

_ two souls shall never be apart. _

 

Flora was burning.

Heat sinks its plundering fangs into her flesh, pale skin darkens like a prairie night, soot and smoke smothers her breath until it is snuffed out entirely.

The flames leaves no part of the Ice Tribe heiress untouched. Even as her bones crumble like charcoal, the flames caresses her ashes just as lovingly as it had her curves, clingy to the very end.

Flora always had a fascination of fire, strange as it may be considering her birthright. When she was a child, she once bore witness to a traveling bard attempt to woo some of her tribe’s woman. As unappealing and unsuccessful he may have been, his words still seduced her, honeyed promises of how fire was able to melt and uncover even the most frigid of hearts. Unfortunately, when she stuck her finger upon a cooking flame, the pain was not nearly as romantic as the bard had made it seem, nor was the scolding from her father.

Still, she held onto that childish fascination throughout her life, if nothing but a fantasy she could revisit like a timeless friend.

Unlike ice, fire dances, the movements of its flames unpredictable no matter how long one stares. Fire is spontaneous, embers flying and burning into every direction, whereas snow only falls, a future inescapable no matter how hard it struggles upon the wind. Unlike Flora, frozen stuck within her prison, fire was free.

And how she yearns to be free.

The blue-haired maid lets out a heavy breath as she places the last of the dishes into the cabinet. Weary eyes flicker open to meet the dull brown of oak in place of vivid orange and silence fill an empty mess hall instead of cracking flame, disappointment the herald of a daydream cut short.

‘’…Your face is undignified.’’ she mutters to herself, mechanical hands erasing the creases upon her façade like a stonecutter polishes away the imperfections of his sculpture, unwilling to show her flaws to even the empty glasses that line the shelves.

Yet, no matter how vainly the snowflake struggles, a crack still persists. She sees her master, shining bright against the night as the dragonblood breaks free of the bindings of King Garon, Flora's blushing sister at their side. She sees Jakob, hands entwined with a woman she had never met as they flirt and dance into the night. She sees herself, bitter and spiteful as she sits upon a lonely throne, fingertips frozen to the ice, only the frost there to keep her company.

She grits her teeth, unable to weather the storm. Eyes ruefully close, ready to surrender to another counterfeit fantasy.

A loud noise springs them open, however, surprise dousing the burning wish. From the kitchen, the maid hears heavy footsteps stomp around the main hall with a carelessness that dispel any notion of this person being an enemy assassin. The clanking of ceramic and toppling of provisions signals the pantry being raided, before the footsteps trace their path back to the hall and fall silent.

Flora wasn’t expecting someone to be hungry at such a late corner of midnight. In fact, the maid had held off washing her share of the viable mountain of dishes just to secure some solitude. To have some glutton storm into her sanctuary with less subtly than a Faceless was quite counterproductive. 

Grey eyes crease. 

Still, she can’t deny that a distraction would be most welcome in her current state. Perhaps she would have better luck facing this terror than she did the other. Her feet find themselves in hurried motion before she knows it, as if the vile images were physically behind her, as she too makes for the main hall.

Flora might have missed the intruder if it wasn’t for the beacon of various meats that surrounds them, since their skin seems to blend so perfectly with the bronze oak of the background. The person appears to be a warrior of sorts, solid muscles glistening in the lamplight and hardened physique bearing countless scars of battle as she sloppily and noisily wolfs down enough meat to sustain Flora for a month. Her attire was equally perplexing. A fearsome mask was secured tightly about their head, bearing markings and etchings so vivid the maid could almost hear the tribal war drums pounding, while a simple bandage wrap is all her chest bares for modesty.

Yet, it was neither the person’s queer mannerisms, nor cloth that causes Flora’s heart to skip and her lip to tremble midstep . No, the person gives off an aura, a corona, so intense, the pale maid begins to sweat. Each step closer assaults her skin with burning, wild heat, dizzying, disorienting. Icy eyes begin to melt as Flora feels like she is walking into the sun itself. 

No, not the sun. Something hotter. Flames nostalgic, like the promised fire from her fantasy, ready to finally burn her away? Will drained and mask faltering, a fragile pant breaks her lips…

‘’...!’’

Her weakness draws the warrior’s attention, tanned muscle swiftly snapping into a seasoned battle stance. When their eyes meet, Flora feels the need to squint. Crimson eyes burn so strong, so bright, that it almost hurt meet them.

‘’Who dares?!’’ Woman’s powerful voice barks, boisterous like her footsteps as a piercing gaze blankets the maid’s body. Flora’s composure crumbles beneath it. Though the maid has been with the company for less than a week, the woman’s appearance is vivid enough for her to trace a pattern of faded images in her head, a fearsome blur of bronze thundering across the battlefield. Still, a name to this blur eluded her.

‘’A-At ease...I’m only the one on dishes duty tonight!’’ The words are slow and sticky on her tongue. The radiating warmth this woman continues to produce seems to push them back from whence they came. ‘’What… are you doing here at this hour?’’

The furiosity suddenly sets on tanned features, the woman giving an empty stare as if even she wonders where she is. Both their eyes drift towards the small village of meats, then to the drumstick held between brown fingers as if it were an axe, before grey meets with crimson once more. 

It isn’t long before a bright blush blooms forth upon the woman’s face, red eyes no longer so intimidating as they flee like deer before a bow. Flora swears she can feel the blush add to the temperature, flush cheeks brightening her own. Perspiration had begun trailing long streaks across her skin at this point. Her outfit clings to places she is not accustomed to, foreign enough for her to feel the need to strip right then and there.

‘’I...w-was just hungry!’’ The passion and boldness in the response makes Flora jump, a tone more fitting for defending one’s insulted family name than a midnight craving. ‘’Our rations are plentiful and I’ve seen others go through the pantry! This isn’t against regulations, is it?!’’

‘’W-Well, not exactly, but…’’ She runs a cautious gaze over the table, finding more scraps of meat and bone surrounding the plate than on it. A smidgen of anger taints her usually level voice, the servitile aptitude that was drilled into her personality since childhood annoyed at such slovenly sight. ‘’...you could stand to have better table manners. A-And the portion is a bit excessive, don’t you think?’’

The warrior grunts in a tone far meeker than Flora thought the voice could produce before bashfully moving between Flora and the food, as if it would help her case. She might have laughed at the dramatic shift in demeanor if she were less world-weary.

‘’E-Enough about me... W-Who are you?!’’ the woman challenges, though her voice lacks the bravado that usually comes with such a command. ‘’I’ve never even seen your face before! How do I know you’re not some enemy spy?’’

‘’I…I am called Flora, one of Master Corrin’s previous maids.’’ Her response is less automatic than a good maid’s should have been, perhaps due to the fact that the temperature in the room was several summers hotter than she was used. She bitterly imagines that if she had delivered such a pathetic line in front of King Garon when they first met, the lives of everyone in her village might have been forfeit. ‘’If you wish to verify my identity, I would be glad to-’’

The last few words fail to make it out of her mouth before the atmosphere is quickly reignited. The woman’s posture flares back to life as Flora finds the space directly before her engulfed by a wall of solid oaken bronze and two bright, crimson bonfires burning so close that her eyelashes begin to singe. A pair of impossibly warm hands seize the maid’s shoulders, hot sweat bleeding through her fatigues before melting into her own.

‘’You, you are Flora, Felicia’s sister, future chieftain of the ice tribe?!’’

‘’E-ex...cus…’’ Frozen grey eyes shed their walls, innocence and dazzling naked emotion bursting through. The words barely register for the maid, brain too occupied with attempting to put out the flames that blazed across her once pale plains. Heaving breaths blow hot and humid air down her neck, some slipping down her collar before soaking into her chest like poison. The woman’s scent invades her nostrils like a brigid, not smelling like greasy meat as expected, but of a tribal incense more smoke than aroma, heavy like the purest alcohol and diluting the mind all the same. 

‘’Me! Yes! I-I am the same as you! I’m the future chieftain of the fire tribe!’’ Through a haze of ember and steam, Flora feels an ecstatic grin imprint itself into her memory. She feels like infant who had just seen the sun rise for the first time, too enraptured by its glory to notice her eyes being blinded. ‘’My name is Rinkah, daughter of the current fire tribe chieftain! It’s such an honor to meet you, Flora!’’

This fire didn’t burn at all like the one in her fantasies, comforting, peaceful, passive. No, this fire is raging, wild, proud. It’s bright, unbearably bright, brings forth every emotion caged within her prison and lets them scream. When it smothers her breath it expects her to struggle, forces her to struggle even as she turns to ash. It’s not just mindless energy, it’s alive. It wants, begs, demands that she prove herself, prove she is worthy of burning alongside it. 

And Flora wasn’t worthy. 

She throttles the woman off her, crying out for the air to return to starved lungs. Hands unconsciously dart towards a dampened face, trying to push her exposed weakness into something more presentable, more normal, but any progress made quickly melts and slips past rosy fingers like water. 

Flustered and thoroughly embarrassed, she faces her humiliator. The woman looks so surprised, so ignorant despite the calamity her body wreaked upon the maid by simply existing. It was enough to bring prim lips to crease into an ugly scowl.

‘’E-Excuse me! W-Why are you so close, you... you...’’ Flora bit her tongue hard, the taste of pain and copper trying to subdue the verses upon verses of foul language she wishes to sling. Her angst is forced to settle for a very unsatisfying huff.

‘’G-Good night!’’ She nearly trips during her frantic dash towards the exit, desperate to escape the circle of hell that surrounds the warrior like a smog. She manages almost five strides away from the hall before her legs fail and send the maid stumbling to the grass in an ungraceful pile. 

_ ‘‘Unfair.’’ _

The word is nearly silent on rueful lips, only a small wisp of white that is quickly swallowed by the dark of night proving it even passes. Fate still had malice to inflict on her it seemed, deemed her enslavement to a mad king, her burden of a hundred ton crown, her love stolen when she wasn’t looking too merciful. No, it had to take the one thing she could find solace in, even in her fruitless fantasies, and dangled it right in front of her cage, gifted to another heiress who wore her crown like a trophy, not a chain. 

‘’Unfair… Unfair. Unfair! Unfair! UNFAI-’’

She nearly has to choke herself to stop the vile torrent of words that bled pass her porcelain white barriers. A heavy frost ensnares the blades of the grass around the maid, damning evidence of shameful emotions and a broken will. It is a fitting reminder, threat, of her stoneset path, no less effective than a whip to the back. 

Slowly and steadily, Flora rises, letting her fantasies and feelings fall alongside the grass. Back tall, breath steady, eyes steel.

Hopes slain.

She takes the long way back to her quarters, a detour twice the castle length to freeze herself, allowing the bitter, familiar cold of midnight to return her frozen barriers to their rightful strength. Even though there is small ember that refuses to extinguish, Flora numbs herself and her body to both it and the world as a sad, hopeless girl settles passively back within her grey cage.

Still, that night, for but a moment, some soldiers reported seeing it snow in the middle of a hot, Hoshidan summer.


	2. Chapter 2

She’s on guard duty one night, overlooking a never-ending expense of dusk-soaked plains when she feels the familiar aura bring goosebumps to her back.

‘’Hey, Flora!’’ The heat of the woman’s breath reaches Flora’s nape before the words do Flora’s ears. It is warm, invigorating, and toxic. ‘’Guess you’re my partner tonight, huh?’’

She arches her back in perfect pose, clenches her jaw to effortlessly form that smile that her father had made her practice more times than actual mirth had naturally curved her lips.

‘’Good evening,’’ eyelashes, unwavering even in the cool night breeze, flutter open like velvet curtains would on a summer morning. Teal glows strong as it’s met with bright crimson, unwilling to water like they had done when she had first faced the fires. ‘’...Lady Rinkah.’’

There’s a small lapse in response, Flora momentarily fearing that her was form lacking, but it is short lived as a sunny disposition takes its place adjacent to the maid.

‘’...Good evening to you, Flora!’’

It had been about a week since their disastrous first meeting. Somewhere within that time, Flora had managed to rebuild her professional persona and apologized to the woman, showing enough blush and embarrassment to endear, but not enough to be vulnerable. It worked perfectly, just as Flora knew it would. When it was the fire heiress's turn to apologize, she did it profusely and clumsily, muscular arms skittish as a frantic voice insisted that she was in the wrong, not Flora. The woman had even fell to her knees in a strange grovelling pose at one point. A blush had touched the maid’s cheek naturally then, but she decided it was progress enough that her clothes weren’t soaked in sweat.

‘’By the way, I don’t think I ever thanked you for not telling anyone about my little… midnight craving the other night...’’ A sudden wave of heat washing over her skin tells Flora that the woman was blushing rather furiously. ‘’...as well as the mess.’’

Flora laughs on command, dainty, light, pleasant, one befitting her position, one practiced in the company of countless officials that had no business bringing any sound to her tongue. ‘’It’s not a problem. Besides, I heard you went out and caught more than enough game the next morning to replace what you ate.’’

‘’Really, the mess was what I was more worried about getting out! Trust me, I’d rather hunt enough for my entire tribe than to have Oboro give me another scolding on proper etiquette, haha!’’

When the woman laughs, it sounds like the most natural thing in the world, as true as the sound of thunder striking upon stormclouds or waves crashing against a cliff. It was rough, heavy, yet manages to sound so much more pleasant than Flora’s own laughter and more genuine than all the practice from now till the end of time could do her. It caused a couple goosebumps to rise upon her flesh, curt fingers breaking their practiced pose to clench as she denied them escape from the confines of her sleeves. 

‘’Umm, b-by the way…’’ Rinkah’s voice returns her to focus, volume waning and temperature rising. ‘’I-I know I didn’t exactly make a good impression on this when I first mentioned it, but…’’

The warrior takes a loud and bold step towards her and it takes all of Flora’s self-restraint to stifle a jump. 

‘’I am Rinkah, future chieftain of the fire tribe! And I would like to talk to you, Flora of the ice tribe, as fellow heirs to our thrones!’’

A drop of sweat had yet to fall upon Flora’s brow when Rinkah suddenly jumps back three steps, nearly falling over the battlement. 

‘’A-Ah, b-but I promise not to get in your personal space like last time!’’ Burning red eyes sizzle and shy away once again. An uncomfortable throb begins to bring a strange sensation to Flora’s chest. ‘’I...just really wish to talk to you, Flora. I’m sorry if I seem too excitable...’’

The uncomfortable feeling seems to dig its roots throughout her body. It causes a lump in her throat, pricks her skin red, makes her want to avert her eyes as well. It is a familiar sensation for all it is strange, intimidating, frightening, like a thousand expectant eyes leered at Flora from within those red, crackling fires.

‘Am I...afraid of disappointing her?’

Nonsense. This woman is no one to her. Unlike Felicia, no bond as precious as blood would be broken if spite and jealousy slips from her tongue. Unlike King Garon, no child would have to grow up without a father if a sliver of weakness cracks her stance. 

‘’Of course you may...talk to me.’’ She mentally snarls at herself for allowing that lapse. If she has nothing to fear from this woman, why does her voice fail, why does her body tense, why do those eyes burn? ‘’Ask me whatever you wish to know.’’

‘’...Hah?! Truly?!’’ Rinkah bounds closer to the maid, her prior reservations trampled as glee and curiosity fuels her advance. ‘’W-What don’t I want to know?! What are your customs? What is your land like, your people? P-Please, tell me anything, everything!’’

Flora does her best to ignore the repeat offense as glistening, bronze flesh flushes her cheeks with warmth. Icy focus shapes her posture like a chisel, subduing any unnecessary emotions from tainting her voice. 

‘Be bold, but not arrogant, pleasant, but not submissive, cool like winter’s wind and unflinching like the ice that is your home.’

With a smile that almost teetered on the edge of nervous, Flora recounts her homeland with a speech-like etiquette. She speaks of a land of countless natural resources, of icy winters that hone the soldier and discourage invaders. She speaks of how the cold strengthens their natural ice anima and of rich magical veins that one of noble birth could manipulate to staggering degree. When she leaves her mental podium, Rinkah’s face has further infiltrated her territory, charged with energy and passion.

‘’Impressive!’’ the warrior almost sings. Flora sees a tanned arm rise as if to give the maid a pat on the back, but it seems to remind itself at the last second and lower. ‘’I didn’t know dragon veins could be used in such amazing ways! And the way your people lets ice rear you like a mother, it’s pretty much identical to my tribe’s relationship with fire!’’

Flora discreetly lets out the breath she was holding through her nose, relieved by Rinkah’s approval. 

‘’Ah, but, I was actually hoping to hear something about the personality of your tribe!’’

Her throat snaps close in surprise, nearly squeezing a weak choke pass dignified lips. She turns a vacant face towards the warrior, as if she had just been asked what colour were King Garon’s undergarments.

A sudden frown, accompanied by frantic hand motions, tells Flora that Rinkah has noticed the maid’s lull in demeanor. 

‘’I-I meant no offense! O-Oh man, did I say something wrong again?’’ her crackling voice fumbles, a visible sweat beginning to glisten on taut muscle. ‘’I...I’m just really interested in learning about...y-you know, customs and spirit, how your land shapes you, not just physically, but mentally!’’

Rinkah’s eyes fall shut into a trance. There’s a slow, yet striking change in the woman’s aura as she stands there, almost glowing against the dark canvas of night. The temperature rises and falls unnaturally, magic more alive and whimsical than any a tome could produce. Rinkah’s head bobs softly to and fro, side to side, as if memories of her home are caressing her face like a mother to a child. When the warrior opens her eyes, Flora swears that more than just Rinkah is watching her from within dazzling crimson.

‘’For example!’’

With a voice just a passionate as flames are hot, Rinkah painted a mosaic of the fire tribe through tongue and teeth. She speaks of a mighty mountain of fire which houses their god and how would breathe gorgeous ember rain every summer night. She speaks of lively festivals dedicated to this god, speaking of song and dance so fondly that Flora feels a twitch in her step and silent lyrics soak her ear. She speaks about traditions of both war and peace, and how their tribe loves and worship every flame, whether it be melting the armor of their enemies, or cooking the food of their children. 

The way the warrior speaks is fantastical, ethereal, like she is speaking to Flora through a dream. An odd longing begins to seep into the maid’s skin like steam. It was like jealousy, but not as bitter, birthes impulse into her legs. It makes her want to drop her life behind and journey to this land, feel the hot soil between her toes, have humidity and ash bring a sensuous strain to her lungs. 

‘’Such is the spirit of the fire tribe.’’ Rinkah finishes in a calm, yet firm voice. Flora feels the atmosphere slowly ease back from Rinkah’s land to their castle, sobering enough to make her reinforce her form, but saddening enough to make dull eyes whist. ‘’Don’t you have such spirit in your tribe and land, nostalgic enough to make you sigh, proud enough that you want to share it, with me?’’

When red eyes turn towards her teal, Flora fails to reharden them fully. Beauty, soul? They were things no official ever asked nor never cared about. Such things were faded even to her, memories of a childhood blurry past a haze of anxiety and bitterness. Then again, she had never had an audience so persuasive.

‘’I recall...an ice sculpture…taller than any tree. We...used to decorate it with lights…beautiful lights...’’ Memories pour from her mind like a river undammed. She speaks of the pillar of ice that would glow like the moon every winter solstice, of the breath-taking auroras that would dance across the sky every summer solstice. She speaks of a tradition she used to perform with her sister, creating their own snowflakes and watching them fall from the balcony, laughing all the while. The words flaunt out into the air with the same luster and colour as Rinkah’s, a tone so unfamiliar on her tongue that she believed it was the woman who was speaking them at times. 

‘’Amazing!’’ Rinkah cries, grinning wildly as her face dances intrigue and awe. ‘’To think such a sight existed in this world...haha, the spirit of your land and tribe burns just as brightly as mine! What I would give to see it in person!’’

It feels just as strange to hear such praise for the homeland that caused her so much grief pass Rinkah’s mouth as it did when it passed her own. It is a high she can’t help but to feel she shouldn’t be experiencing, like this woman’s voice has inebriated her mind and seduced her senses. Thus, she straightens her back and returns the foolish outlook to the child she was ten long years ago, the blush upon her nose and a nostalgic sigh that quickly died upon the wind the only evidence that such sights ever existed at all. 

‘’...You are too kind.’’ Flora says in a pitch too high as her feet move a second too early towards the battlement. She was flying too close to the sun. She has to escape before she is incinerated. ‘’Now, we should return to actually guarding the castle.’’

‘’Aww, come on!’’ The little whine that returns is playful and tempting, but stiff shoulders do their best to ignore its call. ‘’It’d take more than a couple rounds of drink before those lumbering Faceless manage to sneak up on anybody in this castle. Besides, there’s so much more I want to know, like the food, coming of age rites, any changes you’re going to make when you rule…’’

Flora sharply flinches, shoulders crumbling. Something about that last sentence feels terribly off, as if Rinkah was speaking it in a different language. 

‘’...change?’’ The word slips carelessly off her tongue and she doesn’t even have time to regret it before the maid feels a charged smile to her back and eager words to her ear.

‘’Oh! Yeah, any ideas for your new rule? My father may be wise and a great leader, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have complaints! I mean, can you believe he doesn’t let anyone use the hot springs on the volcano because it would ‘ _ be a mockery to the grand and all-knowing Flame God, my foolish daughter _ ’?’’ Rinkah spouts those words in a rickety, mocking voice before laughing heartily, like she was imitating a senile madman rather than her father and chieftain. It is obscene and ridiculous enough to Flora that her jaw threatened to drop. ‘’The Flame God would want something so great used, am I right? When I inherit the title, they’ll be great improvements!’’ Rinkah pauses a moment to gauge her words before a sheepish hand idly rubs the back of her head. ‘’Er, I have more important things I want to change too… but those hot springs are amazing, trust me!’’

Such a fanatical speech, more nonsensical to her ear than any fairytale. When did she ever have the time to entertain that desire? Her crown came not with freedom, but with instructions, ones that consumed all thoughts of her future. She tries to give voice to such luxuries, but finds that voice still and unwilling, too sheltered and afraid to speak past the shadow that Flora thought would be her entire life. 

‘’...I have no such plans.’’ Flora says plainly. ‘’Serving the ice tribe as my father wishes has been my goal since I was old enough to speak. I do not see any point in changing that view.’’

‘’Ahh, is that so…’’ The disappointment evident in Rinkah’s voice bothers Flora much more than she cares to admit. As if sensing this, she feels another blush touch the warrior’s face and guilt touch her tongue. ‘’B-But that only means your father is that great of a man! If it works, it works, right, haha…’’

They spend the next few minutes discussing much more mundane aspects of their tribes and rule. Flora answers pleasantly, if not mechanically, to the warrior’s ceaseless questions, the glamour and emotion once thick on her voice gone as quick as it came. Despite this, Rinkah’s spirit failed to show any signs of waning as enthusiasm assaulted the maid with the same intensity as Rinkah’s questions. When the passing of the moon signals the end of her shift, Flora can’t help but to notice the sweat that has pooled in her palms.

‘’...Ah, it seems my rounds are over.’’ Flora says deliberately, careful not to let her relief show. ‘’It has been a pleasure talking with you, but I’m afraid I must turn in.’’

‘’...Oh, so it is! Tonight’s shift felt so much quicker than usual, haha...’’

The Hoshidan gives her back an audible crack before turning an unusually gentle smile in Flora’s direction. The woman’s feet, however, don’t seem to move towards the barracks, planted firmly in place while Rinkah gives her a long stare. The soft curve of the woman’s lips looks much more intimidating than they have any right to be. Flora feels a chill find its way up her neck despite the heat that seems to boil around the two of them.

‘’Yes...well then, good night to you, Lady Rinkah.’’ Flora says carefully after a silence that stretched far too long for her liking, making sure her unease does not affect her tone. With a stiff bow, she turns away from the woman’s uncanny expression before pacing her steps in the direction of her quarters.

‘’...Wait.’’

Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. Things never were with this woman. Letting her steps slowly die onto a spot, Flora tilts her head slightly to the side, enough to show attention, but just shy of revealing her face. She processes the tone of the voice, noting the soberness, as well as how the temperature seems to drop alongside the Hoshidan’s inflection.

‘’...Is there something else you needed, Lady Rinkah?’’ The maid adjusts her own voice in defense, a flawless and practiced blend of innocence and ignorance honed with a hint of firmness that had slain many an accusation from a foolish court official.

But Rinkah is no official, and certainly no fool. The maid feels her challenge slain itself as it crumbles against the woman’s unyielding aura. Perspiration falls down Flora’s back like rain in wake of the harrowing clamour of sandals against stone, each one louder than the next. When they finally stop, Flora is sure that the swell of the woman’s breasts and the arch of her back are separated by only the thinnest slivers of air. 

‘’Flora…’’ A voice thick with unease breaks against her nape, hot breath looming like a smog over her skin. ‘’...Are you feeling alright?’’ 

Dread grips the maid’s heart. Though there seems to be a genuine echo of concern in the Hoshidan’s voice, Flora can’t help but to feel like she had just been caught lying to King Garon, claws of an armored gauntlet tight around her throat. ‘Had she seen through my act? How did she find out? How do I get myself out of this situation?’ Questions pound at her mind like a drum as she scrambles to find an answer.

Yet, she could find none before the sensation of a heavy hand upon her shoulder rips them from her mind. It turns Flora around effortlessly, hand and heat lingering even as she faces the woman. The careless glee she is so used to seeing curve the woman’s lips is now smothered and replaced by a firm frown. While there is a clear crinkle upon Rinkah’s eyebrows that shows concern, it feels vastly overpowered by the judgemental flames that burns within crimson irises, seering over Flora’s face as they meticulously bleed into her being. 

‘’Of… Of course! What...w-what…’’

As the maid is powerless to do anything other than lament at the telling shaking that scourges her posture, Flora’s sees red eyes crease with apprehension. The Hoshidan runs her tongue in a tight line across her lips, the weight of her next words clearly ones that she doesn’t take lightly.

‘’You’re...not acting like yourself, Flora.’’

Flora feels her eye twitch. And her tongue stutter. And her fingers flex, knees wobble, shoulders sag, chest palpitate. Her mind scrambles to voice reason and even offense to such lunatic words, spoken so firmly and so damningly cocksure. 

‘’I...do you...w-what...?’’ 

She feels her fists clench and tremble in full view of her interrogator, sweat run rivers down her forehead in torrents. Those longs nights spent honing her speech, all the swift and sure court reactions that had saved her people from many a powerhungry noble, all the agonizing heartache she had to suffer to perfect lying to her own little sister, all burnt away by the mad ravings of some mannerless tribal soldier. 

‘’W-What...ha...What do you mean, hahaha...’’ She curses all of Nohr when the weak chuckles druge their way from her stammering lips, when her eyes pathetically flicker and falter against the woman’s red gaze, telling signs of a liar cornered like a rat. ‘’We...W-We have barely known each other for more than a week! How...W-What...What could you possibly mean by…’’

‘’...Would you like to hear something else about my tribe, Flora?’’ The sudden offer is spoken with a soft and cordial voice, but Flora knew she couldn’t refuse. She is sure Rinkah knows this fact as well as the warrior’s remaining hand grips Flora’s other shoulder, the same vibrant shift in atmosphere from when the woman last described her tribe engulfing their two bodies with it’s smokey aura. 

‘’...My tribe has a saying, that ‘A person’s eyes are the window to their soul.’, that the flickering and light of one’s eyes mirror the feelings of the fire that burns within.’’ 

Fear freezes the maid’s body like a blizzard. The impact of the fiery woman’s mad, tribal ravings burns down the foundations of a once sound mind and Flora finds herself wildly conscious of the two crimson orbs barely a finger length away. They flickered with an accusation more terrifying than any blade to her neck.

‘’So often when I look at you, Flora...I can’t see your fire. You hide it behind a veil, whisk your heartbeat away from view like it is shameful. Like the ice of your tribe...i-it is like your soul has been frozen over!’’ Bronze hands bolden their hold upon already reddened skin. Burning emotions spill forth from Rinkah’s eyes and mark her face with its presence. The drifting embers that, mere seconds ago, had settled somberly within crimson orbs now burst into wild, dancing flames, desperate and hungry as they beg to pry the truth from the maid’s depths. ‘’But, sometimes I see you, Flora! Sometimes that barrier will retreat and I can truly feel the warmth of your flame! I understand the hardships and burdens that a future chieftain goes through! I know you are suffering behind the wall of ice you feel is necessary! Please, let me help you to-’’

_ crack _

A savage hand smashes its palm into Rinkah’s cheek in a deafening slap. Flames becomes ash as the spirits of the fire tribe are slaughtered like cattle before a violent cold. Fire suddenly extinguished, the warrior is left stunned and reeling at the merciless rejection of her plea. Her wavering spirit can do nothing but chance a shaky glance at Flora as an icy wind begins to bite at tanned skin and dark clouds assemble above. 

A posed and perfect posture is ravaged, limbs trembling and back slovenly hunched. Beautiful grey eyes glare and twist in rage, two serene pools of black shrunk to pinpricks. Fair lips and flawless cheeks warp into a vile and ugly grimace, gritting teeth viciously bared. The maid’s frozen defences have shattered brilliantly. As ice and fire clash amongst the fragments, the lonely girl upon her frozen throne screams bloody murder at her aggressor, a storm years in the making finally freed in all it’s wrathful splendor. She has has enough of being hidden away, enough of bowing when told. This woman wishes to know about her true self? Then let her prying curiosity bare witness to the hideous monster that she has so desperately coaxed out of its cage.

‘’How dare you, HOW DARE YOU, DASTARD!’’ The maid’s howls are spoken in a tone that has never once dared to pass dainty lips. Flora’s demons wretch from the darkest corners of her soul as heavy flakes of snow rain down from the turbulent sky.  ‘’YOU KNOW NOTHING, NOTHING OF MY SUFFERING! YOUR TRIBE IS NOT HELD AT RANSOM, YOUR CROWN IS NOT A CHAIN, YOUR LIFE WASN’T SOMEONE ELSE’S PROPERTY!’’

Murderous pale hands clench around a shivering neck. Even if Rinkah had the courage to step away from the crazed banshee, she physically is unable to because of the heavy frost that has frozen her feet to the ground. The snowfall about them has now morphed into a blizzard as a sharp wind whistles in her ear.

‘’YOUR WORDS DO NOT HAVE TO BE REHEARSED, YOUR FUTURE ISN’T WRITTEN IN ANOTHER’S INK, YOUR EMOTIONS ARE NOT CONDEMNED!!!’’ A trail of pitiful tears run down Flora’s face, only to be instantly frozen by the cold. Rueful hands bend her captive’s face to her own, the agonizing heartbreak in frozen, grey eyes begging to be seen. ‘’YOU DON’T HAVE TO BEG AND BOW TO THE MAN WHO MURDERED YOUR PEOPLE AND STOLE YOUR LIFE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP VILE SECRETS FROM YOU OWN LITTLE SISTER EVERY WAKING SECOND TOGETHER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO REPRESS 10 YEARS WORTH OF TEARS EVERYDAY SO PEOPLE WOULDN’T FIND OUT ABOUT THIS MONSTER THAT WEARS A MAID’S MASK!!!!!’’

Their foreheads smash together in a sickening thud. The chaotic weaves of magic frost were now dangerously close to encasing both of them in Flora’s icy prison as the entire castle falls victim to a tragic heart’s violent blizzard. 

‘’SO DON’T YOU SAY YOU KNOW ME, RINKAH! DON’T YOU DARE PARADE THAT SICKENINGLY GENUINE SMILE IN MY SIGHT WHEN I HAVEN’T HAD A REASON TO IN TEN YEARS!’’

_ ‘’Flora!’’ _

The ice that had been seconds away from freezing them solid instantly shatters. With the blizzard also rapidly dying, Rinkah is able to see the seething rage upon Flora’s face crumple into absolute dread as a hysteric, pink haired woman rushes to her sister’s side.

‘’Please, Flora, please stop! What’s going on?!’’

‘...no...no, no, nonononononononono-’ Everything is breaking. Within the cold of Flora’s heart, the lonely girl can do nothing but watch as frozen walls years in the making shatter into tiny pieces. 

‘why is she here how much did she hear gods please stop looking at me like that’ The lonely girl is so scared, terrified that even the slightest movement could cause the ground beneath her feet to give way. Within the screeching blizzard, she sees an icy pair of eyes not unlike her own stare down upon her, shock and judgement so damningly vivid. They were never supposed to see her. Not like this. 

‘please, not like this’

‘’Flora, please relax! You can talk to me! Even if father is forcing you!’’

_ crack _

‘N-no’

‘’Y-You don’t have to put on a mask near me!’’

_ crack _

‘She heard’

‘’I don’t care that you’ve lied, Flora!’’

_ crack _

‘S-she knows’

‘’I’ll become chieftain myself if I have to!’’

_ crack _

‘I...I’m…’

‘’I just want my sister ba-’’

And everything shatters.

**‘’AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!’’**

Flora can bare no more. She lurches away from her crying sister’s grasp and flings herself over the battlement. Part of her wishes it would just end there, that darkness would bring her agonizing storm to a stop, but her overflowing magic reacts for her and conjures a pile of cushioning snow in place of hard, fatal ground for her to fall onto. From there, Flora runs. With tears frozen to her cheeks and sobs breaking free from her parted lips, Flora runs, ignorant to the two frantic voices that call out for her. With the moon bearing witness to her shame, the broken maid journeys deeper into the unforgiving wilderness of the Astral Plane. 

Desperately into the cold, the lonely girl cries ruefully in her silent prison of ice, as she has done for her entire life.


	3. Chapter 3

The shadows of the Astral night choke all light from her surroundings. Foreign, distorted shrubbery constricts her movements and a desolate, howling wind bites at her skin. The broken maid had been running through the twisted forest for nearly an hour without end, the burn within her lungs near impossible to bare and the cuts from surrounding plant life countless. Yet, still, Flora cannot stop.

‘’Thank you, Flora. You are always so ready to support me.’’

_‘’It is my pleasure, Master Corrin.’’_

Lies.

‘’All of Nohr, including your insignificant tribe, is under my grasp. Will you accept this, child?’’

_‘’Yes, my king.’’_

Lies.

‘’I am so sorry for forcing this upon you, my daughter. Can you ever forgive me?’’

_‘’Of course, father.’’_

Lies!

‘’Of course I will! We’re twins after all! From now on, we’ll see each other as equals, right sis?’’

_‘’Yes.’’_

LIES!

‘’Flora...Are you feeling alright?’’

_‘’O-Of...Of cour-’’_

LIES!!!

Her entire life, her entire pathetic life, was based upon a foundation of lies. She could never stand the pressures thrust upon her, could never control the deafening jealousy that would grip her heart. So she hid those vile emotions away, froze both them and herself beneath the ice that had become her home in hopes that she could create some semblance of a life for her and her people.

A thick root causes her to lose her footing, stones and thorns giving birth to numerous deep slashes upon her skin as she tumbles to the hard dirt. Pale hands ruefully clench what gravel and grass they find, even as perfectly polished fingernails crack and splinter painfully.

But it was all for naught. That damn woman had burnt all her effort, all her life, into cinders, seen through her lies like they were glass and ripped her heart out for the world to bare. No manner of blush or curtsy, no perfectly toned lie nor coercion, could cover up a castle half frozen by a monster’s storm.

Past the fog of despair, Flora just barely registers the rustling of branches. A violet misma surrounding barely discernible forms creeps upon the fringes of her blurred vision, blades more mirage than steel unsheath, hoping a coat of fresh blood will give proof to their half existence. Yet, even the silent death threats from the phantom Vallite soldiers cannot stir the stricken maid from her mental cage.

‘Felicia knows of my decit. Corrin knows of my loathing. The royal family knows of my treachery. The whole army now knows about my instability…!’

A sword baring Vallite approaches Flora from behind. His long collapsed mind can think of nothing else but his victim's neck, even as clumps of a strange white substance he has never seen before begin to rain down from the sky.

‘Master Corrin...I-I completely respect you! I could never...N-No, King Garon, have mercy! I will bow, I will serve, so spare me!’ Cracked fingernails dig into her own forehead as tragic eyes squeeze tight. ‘PLEASE, FELICIA! DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!’

The Vallite breaks into a sprint. He stumbles for a moment, the ground beneath him suddenly turning hard and slippery, but he soon reaches his target’s back.

‘B-Be graceful, yet bold. NO, it was pleasant and submissive! Or was it...strong...back straight, hands...NO, SHUT UP, RINKA, SHUT UP! THIS IS WHO I AM! I’M THE PERFECT MAID, THE PERFECT HEIR! I CARE NOT FOR WHAT MY HEART SAYS, FOR WHAT IT **_SCREAMS_ **!’

The Vallite swings his sword straight for the woman’s neck, motion swift despite the heavy frost that was stiffening his joints.

‘MY WANTS ARE UNWANTED, MY HOPES ARE HOPELESS! I HAVE TO BE SELFLESS, I NEED TO BE SELFLESS...I AM…I...a-am...’

The blade comes down…

‘’Selfless.’’

A massive spike of ice suddenly bursts forth from the ground and impales her assailant, the blade that was mere inches away from ending the maid’s life clattering uselessly onto the icy ground. Within a whirlwind of chilling cold, Flora staggers onto her feet. Cracked and bloody fingers try to mold her face into their usual professional pleasantness. Her quivering back arches to reach that perfect and painful curvature.

‘’Be bold, but not arrogant, pleasant, but not submissive, cool like winter’s wind and unflinching, like the ice...’’

The rest of the Vallites race towards her in a blind panic. When Flora’s eyes open to greet them, a world of cold rushes out from two lifeless windows of ice.

‘’...that is your home.’’

 

* * *

 

Rinkah likely would have never found her fellow heiress in the practical maze of forestry if it wasn’t for the agonizing screams that suddenly fouled the air. Before she even reaches the source of the disturbance she finds chilling signs of the maid’s presence. Treetops coated by heaps of snow that should have taken years to accumulate, flowers completely preserved in ice, like they hadn’t even had a second to wilt before being encased within their prison. When she finally finds lonely Flora, Rinka almost averts her gaze in horror.

There must have been a dozen Vallite soldiers, all skewed like meat upon glistening pikes of ice. Littered amongst them are thicker clumps of ice. Upon closer inspection, the warrior blanches when she makes out the forms of more of the phantom soldiers encased in each and every one of them, arms outstretched vainly as a cold death came for them before preserving their final moments for all to see. And in the middle of the macabre spectacle calmly stood Flora, back turned towards Rinka as the maid seems to be inspecting a spike that had impaled a large Faceless. She sees the maid produce a cloth and wipe off a small patch of dirt from the surface before giving a satisfactory hum, caring not instead for the smears of vile blood that dribbles down the shaft.

‘’F-Flora…’’ Rinka calls out the name on instinct, shaky, afraid, not knowing what to do with it. She sees the silver maid pirouette gracefully around, a poised and perfect motion despite the thick ice beneath her. Dainty hands pat her dress to displace any stray crinkles or snowflakes from her professional persona, ignoring the long tears and punctures upon the fabric, as well as the fresh blood. When eyes, topped by beautifully curled eyelashes flutters open, there is nothing but ice awaiting her.

‘’Good evening to you, Lady Rinka.’’ the prim maid chimes. Even amongst the countless corpses, the tone in which Flora speaks is kind, dainty, nothing like the grief stricken howls Rinkah had been subject to just an hour ago. Still, even this sickeningly sweet pleasantness cannot hide the crippling hollowness that accompanies those words. ‘’I had managed to procure some lovely Vallitian sculptures. Do you think Master Corrin would appreciate them in the courtyard?’’

Rinkah says nothing, physically unable to in face of such nightmarish dissonance. The maid laughs daintily at her silence, running a hand across one of her ice prisons, admiring the lifeless, gawking death mask of its Vallite inhabitant.

‘’Hehe, it is rather macabre, isn’t it? Our esteemed company would likely not appreciate such ghastly tastes.’’ The maid’s hand glows blue for but a second before the block shatters into tiny pieces, the remains of the soldier quickly dispersing into violet smoke. Flora smiles as she dusts ice crystals from her dress before casually walking past the stiff tribal. ‘’Well, it was a pleasure chatting with you, Lady Rinkah, but I do believe it’s time for me to retire. Please, have a pleasant evening.’’

‘’A-Ah…’’ The warrior tries to say something, tries to stop this lifeless mannequin from wearing the woman’s face for any longer, but both her tongue and feet are frozen still, whirling guilt holding them down this time instead of icy magic.

‘What have I reduced her to...Is it my fault she is so broken?’ She just wanted to talk to the real Flora, just wanted her fellow heiress to know that she did not need to hide herself in that lonely hole, but what had that gotten her? A castle buried beneath mountains of snow? A sister exposed to heartbreaking lies? A mask so chillingly numb and devoid of emotion?

‘Am I...the one who is wrong?’ Bronze knees buckle and fall upon hard ice. Was this for the best? The woman has too many responsibilities and too many wants. Was it better for her to hide those troublesome emotions away to keep the status quo? She could live a decently fulfilling life as is, right? Perhaps her frozen mask is necessary? Maybe she should just leave the maid alone. It was none of her business after all...

_‘’E-ex...cus…’’ Frozen grey eyes shed their walls, innocence and dazzling, naked emotion bursting through._

_‘’I recall...an ice sculpture…taller than any tree. We...used to decorate it with lights…beautiful lights...’’_

_‘’YOU DON’T HAVE TO REPRESS 10 YEARS WORTH OF TEARS EVERYDAY SO PEOPLE WOULDN’T FIND OUT ABOUT THIS MONSTER THAT WEARS A MAID’S MASK!!!!!’’_

Rinkah gasps and throttles herself to her feet, fire coursing through her veins. No, of course not. How could she even entertain such a naive and sad possibility? She can’t just walk away, not after seeing how much distress the woman hides on a daily basis, how lonely the small, cold fire of her soul burns beneath walls of ice, how beautifully her cheeks melt and eyes shine when the real Flora wears that face.

‘’Flora! Wait!’’

Rinkah sees the slightest hesitation in the maid’s stride, but it does little to stop her progress and Flora continues down the icy path, Rinkah’s passionate cry ignored like it was but an evening breeze. The warrior grits her teeth and stomps her way forwards.

‘’Hey, Flora! Don’t ignore me! This has to stop!’’ This time, a small twitch shudders across even shoulders, but Flora still doesn’t break her pace, nor indifference. Rinkah lets out a scowl and reaches for the maid’s hand.

‘’Listen to m-!!!’’

The moment she touches cold fingers, a massive spike of ice bursts forth from the ground beneath her. The warrior just barely avoids becoming another morbid addition to Flora sculptures, a bloody slash running up her inner thigh telling of what could have been.

‘’Gah! What the he-’’

‘’Was there something else you needed, Lady Rinkah?’’ The maid speaks so plainly as she tilts her head ever so slightly in her near victim's direction. There is a twitch upon the maid’s neck now, one that doesn’t seem to go away. ‘’I appreciate your concern, but I’m afraid I’m much too tired to entertain you right now. Goodnight, Lady Rinkah.’’

Crimson eyes ignite. Tragic heiress or not, a member of the fire tribe doesn’t take an attempt on their life lying down.

‘’Enough of this garbage, Flora! You and I both know how worthless this little act of yours is!’’ A fiery aura begin to melt the snow and ice at the warrior’s feet. ‘’You’ll only drive yourself mad, and what good will that do for your tribe?!’’

‘’I’m afraid I have no idea what you are talking about.’’ The tone is higher than a perfect maid’s voice should have been and there is an uncomfortable moment’s pause before the woman begins walking once more. _‘’Goodnight_ , Lady Rinkah.’’

The potent venom in those last few words spurs Rinkah on, feeling the cracks upon the hollow maid’s facade widening.

‘’Bullshit! I know how much you cry beneath that wall of ice, how much you scream in that hole where no one can hear you! Besides, you think that you can just go back to playing pretend?! The whole castle saw that little meltdown of yours, I heard loud and clear those wretched things you thought were so securely locked away! Even Felicia saw you for what you really ar-’’

‘’How dare you SAY THAT TO ME!’’

The previous near-death experience had honed Rinkah’s senses, so when the air surrounding her drops temperature by several degrees she immediately jerks away. When she looks back, she sees an enormous prison of solid ice occupying the space were she stood just a few moments prior. Facing the aggressor, Rinkah almost smiles when she catches a glimpse of that twisted, ugly, and absolutely breathtaking snarl that once again graces an otherwise dull facade.

‘’I’ve had enough of you thinking you know me, Rinkah, enough of you thinking you’re better than me!’’ A long, sharp icicle is conjured between murderous fingers. With an enraged cry, the weapon is chucked in Rinkah’s direction like a spear. The club at her side is quickly upholstered and Rinkah brutally swings, hard steel and hungry flames erasing the spear from existence.

‘’...GAAAAAH!’’ The monster charges. Letting her maddened howls echo like drums across their battlefield, Flora picks up a sword from one of the fallen Vallites and swings with wild abandon. ‘’I AM THE PERFECT MAID! I AM THE PERFECT HEIRESS! THIS IS WHO I AM!’’

The warrior hisses as her club shudders and groans beneath the onslaught. The maid clearly has little skill with the weapon, but the raw, magical force laden within the icy strikes greatly compensates for any lack of technique.

‘’You’re...a...big, fat, liar!’’ She lets the taunt dull Flora’s mind and takes advantage of the lapse in awareness to unleash a hot wave of flames into Flora’s defences, causing her to stagger back.

‘’A perfect maid wouldn’t show me such an ugly face, a perfect heiress wouldn’t have even the slightest quarrel with their king and father!’’ she charges, eyes full of blazing fire. ‘’Someone so perfect wouldn’t need to repress their tears for ten years!’’

‘’Shut up, SHUT UP!’’ Rinkah’s club bounces uselessly off a sudden and hard wall of ice. She doesn’t even have the time to let out her breath before the wall explodes. The sharp bits of ice digging into her skin causes her to flinch, which is why she fails to completely avoid the cold blade that came immediately after, hissing as a long line of red imbeds itself into the muscles of her back.

‘’You could never understand, an outsider could never understand what the ice tribe was subjected to, what I was subjected to!’’ Grey eyes glow a desolate blue as Flora continues her merciless assault upon weakened defences. ‘’And so I must be the perfect puppet for my tribe, such pathetic whims of my heart must be silenced!’’

The maid’s unrelenting violence cuts deep upon Rinkah’s body, as do those tragic words do her soul. She knows her anger could never hope to beat back the infinite despair of ten painful years, flames and flesh sundered by bitter ice. Her body can’t last much longer against the frozen tide, so the warrior decides to take one last gamble to get through to the stubborn girl.

‘’MY WANTS ARE UNWANTED, MY HOPES ARE HOPELESS, RINKAH!’’ A particularly brutal swing knocks the warrior reeling back, posture and guard exposed. Frostbitten fingers grip her blade tight and thrust. ‘’SO YOU, WITH YOUR CARELESS GLEE AND PRIVILEGE CAN GO DISAPPEAR! DISAPPEAR AND TAKE THAT STUPIDLY HAPPY SMILE WITH YOU!’’

The devilishly sharp tip screeches closer, but Rinkah makes no move to block or avoid it. Instead, her club slips past comatose fingers as she lurches forwards.

_squlsh_

The ice shatters from grey eyes for the first time in what felt like an eternity when Flora feels her blade puncture cleanly into Rinkah’s stomach. Wide pools tremble as they see the Hoshidan’s head gasp and buckle down in pain, as her hands feel impossibly hot blood run rivers across their surface.

‘’You...R-Rin-!!!’’ The warrior’s head abruptly flares back to life. Crimson eyes burn blindingly bright, the potentially fatal blow not seeming to have an effect on the defiant soul within. Flora yelps as powerful and bold bronze arms wrap around her thin waist, unsure if the embrace was one of comfort or one of binding. The maid would very quickly find out that it was both, as a veil of fire bursts forth from the warrior’s core, igniting Flora alongside her. ‘’Gah! What are-’’

‘’Show me it, show me it, Flora!’’ Rinkah roars even as blood seeps from her mouth, the flames surrounding them growing ever hotter. ‘’Show me the real you! Let it all out! Tell me what your stupidly jealous heart wants, each and every greedy little wish!’’

‘’Stop, STOP! Don’t mess with me, Rinkah! Y-You…’’ Flora feels it again, the same fire that choked her when she first met Rinkah. It was that raging, proud, bright inferno that begs that she scream, demands for the woman to bare everything to it as it burns her alive. Grey eyes burn seethingly fierce in return, the lonely girl upon a melting throne fully prepared to answer the arrogant flames this time.

‘’You...YOU PISS ME OFF SO DAMN MUCH, RINKAH! I COULD STRANGLE YOU, JUST LIKE I WANTED TO STRANGLE THE LIFE OUT OF THAT DECREPIT EXCUSE OF A KING I HAD TO SERVE FOR TEN YEARS! I’M NOT YOUR TOY, I’M NOT YOUR TOOL! ALL OF NOHR CAN BURN FOR ALL I CARE! AND THAT FATHER OF MINE, MY STUPID, STUPID DAD! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MEEEEEEE, YOUR OWN DAUGHTER?! FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO BE YOUR DAMN MARTYR!’’

Traces of tears begin to shine from burning pools of grey, the girl’s voice now dripping more with angst and longing than anger.

‘’Damn it, I wanted to be the hero, I wanted to be the protagonist! Why couldn’t it have been me instead of Corrin, why couldn’t I rip free from my fate?! Why did Jakob fall in love with that damn wrench, somebody I don’t even know?! I wanted him to kiss me under a full moon, I wanted him to whisk me away, not her! I wish we never grew up, wish me and Felicia could have stayed perfectly identical and equal twins forever! I can’t stand it, seeing her go down a path so much brighter than mine!’’

Agonizing fingers clasp on both sides of Rinkah’s head. ‘’And you, Rinkah! There is no person I’m more immensely jealous of than YOU! That sickeningly sweet demeanour, that 100% natural, booming laughter, your stupidly carefree grin, GODS, I WISH IT WERE ME! I WISH I WAS AS FREE AS EMBERS ON THE WIND, I WISH I COULD DANCE LIKE THE FLAMES OF A BONFIRE, I WISH FIRE WOULD WARM THIS FRIGID COLD HUSK I CALL A HEEEEEEEEEEEART!’’

‘’Hehe…’’ Flora twists cold eyes towards the noise slipping whimsically past upturned lips, thinking that the warrior was mocking her. But when she locks eyes with the Hoshidan, she instead finds a gentle, compassionate flame awaiting her.

‘’My name is Rinkah, heiress to the fire tribe. I don’t believe we’ve met?’’ The tanned woman lets out another giddy laugh in presence of such wide and astonished eyes, twirling a lock of frayed blue in weak, sweaty hands. ‘’It is an honour to finally meet you, Flora...has anyone ever told you that you have a beautiful voice?’’

‘’......sniff...a-ahhh...wahhh…Wahhhh!’’

Flora cries pitifully into Rinkah’s shoulders. As the flames die down and they stumble to the thawing ground, Flora weeps openly for the first time in ten years as the lonely girl upon the now melted throne has company for the first time in forever.

 

* * *

 

_A young Flora pitter patters curiously up to the downtrodden man as he rests against her tribe great fountain, dejectedly strumming a lute while he stares into the flames of his small campfire._

_‘’U-Um, excuse me, m-mister?’’ The child shyly stutters, this being the first time she has spoken with an outsider. ‘’A-Are you feeling okay?’’_

_‘’NO, NO I AM NOT, LITTLE ONE!’’ the man yells emotionally into the night sky as his moustache ruffles defiantly in the wind, young Flora letting out a small yelp in surprise. ‘’I am wounded, you see, my heart torn out in my attempts to bring burning passion to those in need! How, how could I have been so thoroughly rejected as so?!...and by almost every single woman here, at that?!’'_

_‘’U-Umm…’’ Flora barely audibly squeaks. ‘’Y-You were trying to make them fall in love with you, r-right? D-Don’t you need flowers and chocolates to make them fall in love, and, u-um…’’ She nervously taps her little boots together. ‘’Don’t you need to be more handsome?’’_

_‘’GAH!’’ Flora jumps back as the man dramatically grips his heart, like an arrow had just been shot directly through. Flora runs up to try and help him, but he discreetly shoos the child away and continues with his act. ‘’Such a sharp tongue belonging to one so young! Woe is me, to be sullied by woman and children alike! Gods, have you no mercy?!’’_

_The man daintily faints onto the fountain for a few seconds before straightening up and giving out a refreshed laugh, turning his eyes onto Flora. ‘’Your tribe is a very proud lot, isn’t it, little one?’’_

_‘’S-Sorry…’’ the blue haired girl softly apologizes, but it only prompts another hearty laugh._

_‘’Not to worry, my dear! Your adorable performance has, in fact, alleviated this poor bard’s sorrows! Now, what can I ever do to repay you? I have some Windmire confectionaries in my pack, as well as some short books, though I’m not sure if children enjoy those these days…’’_

_‘’O-Oh no! I-I don’t need any gifts from you, mister! B-But…’’ Young Flora’s request flutters excitedly in her chest, but her tongue tied voice can only offer pieces. ‘’S-Song…*mumblemumble*...fire…’’_

_The man quirks an eyebrow up for a second, but his face is soon overtaken by excitement as his request dawned on ruffled facial hair._

_‘’Ah, my ballad!’’_

_The bard pulls out a tome and, with a quick incantation, shoots a smaller, more colorful, fire from his hands into his campfire before picking up his lute. Flora’s eyes grow to saucers and lips stretch as she sees little people and animals dance within the growing fire as a melodious tune is strum and whimsical lyrics sung._

 

_Ice, oh ice, how stiff you are,_

_Frozen to the ground!_

_Would you care to dance with me,_

_two birds in the sky, unbound!_

 

_The bard laughs out loud as his legs jump and bob to and fro about the fire, strumming all the while. Little Flora delightfully squeals as she joins him, grinning as tiny birds of fire flutter and chirp around her._

 

_Fire, sweet fire, how bright I burn_

_won’t you let me melt your heart!_

_Oh won’t you run away with me_

_two souls shall never be apart!_

 

_With one last flourish, the fiery figures bow and finally die down, returning to a simple campfire. The bard also gives a small, but satisfied, nod before sitting back down at the edge of the fountain._

_‘’Wow, wow, wow!’’ Flora chimes, jumping up and down animatedly. ‘’That was amazing, mister!’’_

_‘’Haha, no, thank you, my dear, for I don’t think I’ve ever had an audience so engaged, nor charming.’’ he smiles before turning hopeful eyes towards the starry sky. ‘’I have had enough moping to last a lifetime! My stiff ice is out there, waiting for my sweet flames to melt her! We must reunite! Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so literal about it, though, and trekked all the way to the ice tribe…Anywho!’’_

_With a kick in his feet, the bard jumps upright and gives Flora one last bow._

_‘’Your company has been much appreciated, little one, but it is time for me to go out and find my destined lover! May your future be ever bright and fire ever sweet!’’_

_Tossing the child a piece of confectionary and giving a wave, the bard races off into the night, heart hopeful to be one with his soul mate._

_‘’Byeeeee!’’ the girl happily yells after him before plopping down next to the dwindling flames of the campfire. As she watches them flicker and dance, chewing upon a piece of carmel, the bard’s song easily finds its way to her lips._

 

_Ice, oh ice, how stiff I am_

_Frozen to the ground!_

_Would anyone care to dance with me,_

_two birds in the sky, unbound!_

 

_Fire, sweet fire, how bright you burn_

_won’t you come and melt my heart!_

_Oh can’t I run away with you,_

_two souls shall never be apart!_


	4. Chapter 4

‘Alright...you can do this, Flora. Back straight, shoulders high, hair smooth.’ The maid runs long fingernails down silky blue in order to comb out any tangles, but then decides to messily rub her palms across her whole scalp just a few moments later. ‘No, she said wants to see the real me, right?!’ Hectic hands hunts and ruffles up any smooth locks they can find...only to quickly start combing them straight again.

‘Wait, does the real me have messy or tidy hair?! Oh, and she said my voice was beautiful after I screamed at her, right?! Should I just yell obscenities at her instead of greeting her?’ The maid's eyes widen and she gulps hard when she realizes her outfit is now dripping with nervous pools of perspiration. ‘Eep! There’s no way I can apologize to her drenched in sweat!...Actually, could it be that members of the fire tribe are into that kind of-’

The door to the warrior’s room suddenly bursts open, Flora shrieking loud.

‘’Oh, for the love of god, just come in already!’’ She is greeted by the sight of a rather annoyed looking Rinkah, throat roaring as a foot taps impatiently and one eyelid twitches up a storm.

The maid’s maid’s fingers wiggle and clasp skittishly, shoulders shift and sag, trying to find the perfect angle. Finally, grey eyes rises to meet the burning crimson she had spent many a night preparing for, a thousand heartfelt words ready to be unleashed.

‘’...Hi…’’ Flora lamely sighs before awkwardly stepping into the room.

‘’...Hey.’’

The maid delicately sits upon a fur laden bed, fidgeting nervously before turning expectant eyes up to the warrior. She’s sure Rinkah has a few choice words for her.

As the door closes behind them, Rinkah instead mellowly leans against it and quirks an eyebrow up at the maid, features more telling of a relaxed hearth than an angry bonfire.

‘’...What the hell is up with your hair? Did you just get out of bed?’’

She feels her jaw drop, and close, and then drop again, before cradling her scowling and red face within two equally red hands.

‘’...you really do piss me off, Rinka.’’

The blush grows a bit hotter in intensity as she hears the Hoshidan earnestly chuckle. It has been a couple days since Flora’s little scene and the castle has, luckily, since thawed. It was a terribly shameful and embarrassing ordeal trying to explain the events that had transpired to Corrin and the others, but, surprisingly, they didn’t seem to hold it against the maid. Some even offered comfort, especially her doting sister, which Flora humbly accepted.

‘’Hehe, if you’re finished regretting your choice of hairdo, I take it you have a touching apology for me?’’ she hears the warrior tease, a ruby red face attempting to disappear further into the darkness of her palms. Of course she had an apology for her saviour. In fact, between freezing the woman half solid, nearly killing her several times, and sticking a sword into her stomach, Rinkah should have been the very first person that the maid beg for forgiveness.

‘But where do I start?! How do I act?!’ She must’ve stood outside the infirmary for hours trying to muster the courage to face the woman, so long, in fact, that she was asked multiple times by the staff if she needed treatment herself. Part of her wanted to tell them that she did. ‘She’s done so much for me, and I’ve done her so much wrong…’

Rinkah’s eyelid begins twitching again as she watches the frazzled maid’s mouth indecisively open and close like a fish out of water and attention seemingly directed at everything in the room except Rinkah herself. Letting out a huff, the warrior decides to free Flora from her self imposed torment, plopping down next to the maid as Flora lets out a yelp.

‘’Well, whatever sappy speech you have brewing in your head, I don’t need to hear it, Flora.’’ she says firmly, a pale, strained forehead creasing further in perplexion. ‘’I'd rather not take the chance of you getting angsty in the middle of your apology and try to turn me into one of your ‘lovely Vallitian sculptures’ again.’’

Rinkah takes a moment to savour the frustrated little pout her tease had incited before wiping it away as a gentle smile sets upon a suntanned face.

‘’Besides, one look into your eyes, into your soul, tells me all I need to know. You look good without that stupid wall in the way.’’

Her long and practiced pages of remorse, the ache in her legs born from hours of uncertainty and the death of her hair at the hands of worry and fear, all swiftly burnt to cinders in presence of a voice strewn with emotion and ruby red eyes that glisten with spirit and warmth. Flora tries to match its brilliance, but finds the heat and embarrassment too much to bare, letting eye contact drip away and the fire forge a coat of red upon pale cheeks.

‘’...you must teach me how the Fire Tribe reads ‘eye’.’’

They both celebrate the death of unease and awkwardness with a well deserved laugh as both heiresses descend into lighthearted talks of their own tribe’s traditions and quirks. Flora’s words are stiff at first, echoes of formality and anxiety hard to shed from a practiced tongue, but she gradually allows the fire heiress’s warmth to melt the barriers in her voice. Soon, she hears honest giggles slip from her gums as easily as water does through rivers, frivolous things, like gauging the tone of her voice or what expression to wear unnecessary around an audience that could see through such tricks, and yet, care not for them.

‘’You, hehe, you w-wouldn’t believe the look on Felicia’s face when she found out that father was the one giving us presents each year and not Saint Frost, haha!’’ the maid wheezes, her bouts of laughter excavating the breath from her chest at an alarming pace. ‘’S-She ripped the fake beard right off his chin and cried for hours! Father had to buy us ten years worth of gifts to make up for that, ha!’’

‘’T-That’s nothing, pffft, ha!’’ the warrior shakily responds, hand clenched over hard abs in a vain attempt to ease the pain her mirth had produced. ‘’Y-You should have seen mine when my father made me take the coming of age rite by walking on hot coals! I ripped the ACTUAL beard off his face and sulked for weeks!’’

Their bodies fly back in hysterics, rolling about in Rinkah’s bed as they waited for the air to returned to spent lungs. Past the fog of giggles, Flora feels her heart swell vast with elation and fulfillment. When had she last laughed like this? For how long did those barriers of apprehension and fear lock away the blush from her cheeks and levity in her voice? Pining grey eyes are infallibly drawn to the woman beside her, lips curving easily when graced by the shine of flushed bronze. She truly was like the sun.

‘’Thank you, Rinkah…’’ There is a short pause in her words, part of the woman too comfortable in this brief moment of unconditional joy to let the mood go. But she begrudgingly steels her mind and lets fragile words slip past. ‘’...for everything. You really did save me, you know.’’

‘’Hey…’’ the woman breathes softly, concern that Flora now knew was unquestionably genuine overpowering the mirth that still lingered on chapped lips. ‘’I thought I said I didn’t need to hear it?’’

‘’As if I could just brush off the fact that I’ve been so cold to you, that I’ve nearly killed you.’’ Flora feels a fragment of that vile, icy wind whistle from some unthawed corner of her heart, begging her to let it hide her from her uncertainty, her weakness. She might have given in to it were it not for the red pools that blinks steadily at her, that has shown her so much compassion, compassion that she wants to return.

‘’I’ve been that way for so long, trapped in my little prison of ice, shunned and spat at anyone who dared to try and get in. I lamented alone at what I thought would be my entire life in that cage...until some mannerless brigid smashed my walls to bits and invaded my personal space.’’

Flora giggles when she sees the Hoshidan give an off key hum while her lips wobbles into a sort of half smile, as if Rinkah wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not.

‘’To not have to worry about how to act, to be able to laugh freely, to have someone care enough to risk their life for me, thank you, for trying so hard for me, Rinkah.’’ Words boldening her heart, she places a hand over Rinkah’s as she speaks, being awarded with a warm blush and flickering crimson eyes. She takes a mental snapshot of the sight, framed it in her mind for all eternity. ‘’I will treasure what you have given me, even after this war ends and I return to my frozen throne.’’

She sees the warrior nod bashfully, clearly not used to such praise. Rinkah doesn’t immediately move her hand away from hers either, which Flora also treasures, wishing the flame that kindled between white and brown fingers would burn until the ends of time. But, tragically, Flora eventually does feel her fire die as Rinkah ever so slowly moves her hand away. It folds with the other and is brought to her face, where the maid sees a line crease upon the warrior’s forehead.

‘’Don’t mention it…’’ Flora hears the concern drip from a calculating voice, Rinkah’s tongue nervously lick chapped lips. The maid braces herself to hear the words that she knows the worrying warrior will say next. ‘’...But why are you still so afraid of becoming heiress? King Garon is gone, as is his holding the Ice Tribe hostage. Surely Prince Xander won’t be as horrible as his father…’’

‘’...No matter how much Garon wished it so, one man a reign does not make. Nohr has countless senators, vile, powerhungry men that are sitting back in the castle right now, waiting for official news of the king’s demise so they can scurry into the new inner circle and try to seize any scraps of the authority Garon left behind. They will find my tribe’s contracts will the king, find loopholes that not even the new king could contest. We will never be free of Nohr, our wealth of natural resources and depandance on Nohrian trade can attest to that.’’

Flora breaks sight with worrying crimson and lets her glazed grey drift upwards to the ceiling. Rinkah watches as they squint and tremble in a conflict of emotion.

‘’...There is also the issue of the current Ice Tribe Chief, my father. Even more than me, he is crippled with anxiety about our tribe’s condition and future. If, by some miracle, we do break away from Nohr’s rule, he would still wish for me to exist solely for the tribe. Combat lessons until breath is gone from my lungs, etiquette classes and customs and histories of foreign nations from morn to dusk, he has even started talks to marry me off to men I’ve never met from prominent families in both Nohr and Hoshido for politics.’’

A small twitch rumbles through Rinkah’s body at the last line. A small voice within wishes it was born of jealousy, but Flora quickly closes off that section of her heart.

‘’...I can’t imagine my future will brighter than what I have heard dictated to me, but, regardless, right now I’m--’’

‘’BULLSHIT!’’

The passionate roar rips the melancholy right out of Flora’s mouth, as do the warm and firm hands upon tense shoulders. A vivid wall of flames seethes with rage in front of her, two normally small pools of red now as large and imposing as the sky itself. Flora finds herself engulfed by a sea of heat once more.

‘’I didn’t spend all that time getting through to you just so you could settle passively back into your cage! I didn’t take a sword to the stomach thinking your happiness would be so short lived! How can you just accept such a bleak outlook, why should my fellow chieftain be forced to bow when she is told?!’’

Flora wanted to agree, wanted to proudly burn alongside that liberated and gorgeous fire so much, but she finds her tongue dry of words and heart void of hope. Unworthy of accepting Rinkah’s zeal, grey eyes dip downwards.

‘’I’m so sorry, Rinkah, but my tribe needs outside commerce and stability to survive. M-My happiness will have to be barter-’’

‘’Then as my first act as chieftain of the Fire Tribe, I will open trade routes and offer relief to the Ice Tribe!’’

The rest of the maid’s words die with a sudden choke. Stunned, numb eyes can only gawk widely ahead before the flames, now burning more bright and true than she had ever seen. Frozen gears within her head struggle to recognize such miraculous words, a faint light called hope cutting through a dark future once thought to be concrete for the first time.

‘’My homeland is rich in game, furs, lumber! I will offer them all to your people and only ask for fair trade in return, not dignity or happiness! I will also call upon professional Hoshidan scribes, as well as our new connections in Cheve, who are all too familiar with backhanded Nohrian politics! They will make sure no manner of slimey bureaucracy will bind you or your people into servitude ever again!’’

Rinkah makes a small choke herself, the need to breathe seemingly forgotten during her fervour. The flames die down a bit, the energy needed to kindle them running empty, but to Flora, they look no less beautiful and trustworthy. Rinkah falls down upon a knee and gives a small smile.

‘’...And if the senators, Xander, or even your father says otherwise, I’ll beat some sense into them myself. You are chieftain, Flora, not them. Forge your tribe’s future with your own hands and hold yourself to the same standards that you want for your people.’’

One second, she feels her eyes water. Two, a sharp whimper peeks from her throat. Three, and Flora has all but broken down, sniveling as she grips upon the hand Rinkah has offered her for dear life.

‘’Y-Your kindness, your overflowing kindness is wasted on someone as pathetic as me, Rinkah...but, if you are certain, then I, as chieftain of the Ice Tribe, will gladly accept your patronage.’’ She tenderly kisses Rinkah’s hand before letting the palm cusp her tear stained face. She lets Rinkah’s heat imprint itself. ‘’Thank you, thank you so much...how can I ever repay you…’’

‘’H-Hey, I thought I told you not to beg.’’ Some of the volume in the warrior’s voice is lost to embarrassment, rough hands wildly sensitive to soft cheeks. With a hot blush, increasingly common against Rinkah’s brown, she untactfully leaps out of the tender hold, grey eyes mourning the loss of their lifeline. ‘’A-Anyways, enough of this sappy stuff! Now that’s out of the way, it’s time to practice your chieftain speaking skills!’’

‘’S-Speaking skills?’’ the maid stutters, wiping at any stray tears.

‘’Yeah! I mean, I wouldn’t listen to a chief that didn’t have some bark in their voice!’’ Rinkah grins, that carefree smile quickly finding it way back to its rightful spot. ‘’Let me hear your heart again, shout it out loud, I want all those puffy little senators shaking in their slippers when you tell them your demands!’’

‘’D-Demands? Goodness, Rinkah, I’m not commiting a robbery, am I?’’ She feels the warrior’s smile infect her, spirited laughs breaking free before the tears could even dry themselves.

‘’Well, you’re making out like a bandit either way!’’ Flora feels strong arms pull her to her knees.

‘’Come on, let it out! Pretend I’m one of those stupid senators and really let me have it!’’ Pondering fingers scratch at the Rinkah’s chin. ‘’Or, you know, just yell at me normally, since you seemed perfectly comfortable screaming my ears off the last few times.’’

Flora stifles a snicker as she gets her bearings together, a warm hand on her back goading her on. She flutters her eyes close as a sunny mind swims with wants no longer unwanted and hopes no longer hopeless.

‘I-I am Flor-’’

‘’Louder!’’

‘’I AM FLORA, CHIEFTAIN OF THE ICE TRIBE!’’ Accompanying her, now louder, voice was an icy glare, making sure the greedy senator in front of her was well aware of Flora’s ire. ‘’And we will bow to Nohr no longer! From this day forwards, the Ice Tribe will be its own free nation!’’

‘’And you, father!’’ Flora pinches the Hoshidan’s cheeks and attempts to mold the unwilling flesh into the former ice tribe chieftain's wrinkly face. She takes a short eternity to allow her fingertips the luxury of running against such hot, fair skin. ‘’I will lead our tribe the way I see fit! I will forge allegiances so we do not need to forge weapons! I will learn different cultures through experience, not books! I will elevate our tribe’s status and prosperity by the sweat of my brow, so that I may marry whoever I damn well please!’’

Flora’s mind swims with delight. An electric body breaks off from the excited senator/father and twirls itself about in circles. She could hardly believe the words that flew past a mouth once so reserved. She feels her own fire cackling within her thawing chest, burning hot with desires and dream. Flora kindles it, nurtures the flame like it was her child so she may let it burn alongside Rinkah’s, thanking the great bonfire of the fire tribe for the sparks it has gifted Flora. She wishes to burn forever beside it.

‘’I wish...no, I WILL be as free as embers upon the wind! I will dance like the flames of a bonfire! I…’’

She presses her lips against Rinkah’s with unrelenting conviction, each and every movement and murmur fuelled by the newfound freedom in her head and the aching fire in her heart. Flora becomes drunk on the sensations, from the wonderful feeling of Rinkah’s chapped lips against her soft to the way hardened muscles stiffen and heat up as the maid’s body leans into Rinkah’s. When Flora eventually parts, she can't help but to giggle at her fellow heiress’s dumbstruck face, a scorching red overtaking much of the bronze.

‘’...I wanted to do that. Hehe, so, was that enough bark for you, Rinkah?’’

She didn’t think the woman could get this red, the little tribal markings on the warrior’s face all but invisible at this point. Trembling lips gape apart, seemingly unsure how they used to fit together without Flora’s lips against them. A touch of red eventually finds its way onto Flora’s cheeks. She had told herself that she would be proud of making her first personal decision as chieftain and satisfying one of her most wanted wants, but the conscious part of her brain couldn’t help but to torch her skin aflame at kissing the person she thought so highly of, and another woman at that.

‘’A-Ahem.’’ the maid coughs, hoping her selfishness didn’t dispel too much of the mood. ‘’You don’t need to respond to that, Rinkah. Just think of it as a sheltered girl trying to make up for her unfulfilling teenage years. N-Now-’’

‘’M-MY TURN TO PRACTICE!’’

Flora is taken aback by the unexpected announcement, the warrior leaping away as if to emphasize its importance.

‘’I-I have some wants too, is all. A-And my speaking skills c-could use some work too!’’ Flora could attest to that. For all the powerful and provoking words Rinkah has said to her, these were not among them. The woman stutters over and over and some are squeaked out like she is forgot to breath between lines. Still, the flustered maid is eager to shift the topic away from the kiss and acknowledges Rinkah with a hum. The cute way the once proud warrior seems to fidget is also a bonus.

‘’R-Right, well, here I go…!’’ Rinkah sheepishly turns her back towards her audience, though the cherry hued blush of steaming ears betray any attempts to conceal her chagrin.

‘’I...I am Rin-’’

‘’Louder.’’

Flora’s tease is received with another lovely serving of stuttering and squeaking, but the determined warrior continues on regardless, much to her audience's amusement.

‘’I-I AM RINKAH, C-CHIEFTAIN OF THE FIRE TRIBE!...and I...want to bathe in the hot springs of the great fire mountain!’’

Flora laughs at such a mundane want, spoken with the vigour and determination of a war song. Crimson eyes flicker towards Flora for the slightest of moments and the maid can see a touch of haughty pride for the joke, alongside other hazy emotions she can’t quite place.

‘’I-I wish to forge new relations for my tribe as well! I want to decorate the great ice pillar with lights! I want to see the auroras of the ice tribe summers! I…’’

When Rinkah kisses her, it’s an entirely different experience. Hot, hungry lips are more forceful, more demanding. A sizzling tongue breaks through them with ease, grey eyes widening in shock and pleasure as Rinkah breathes fire and saliva across gum and teeth. When the warrior pulls away, it takes the maid a few seconds to recognize it past the spit stained haze that muted her vision.

‘’Ha...I...want more, Flora.’’ Hasty calloused fingers all but rip apart the bandage bindings on Rinkah’s chest, full tanned breasts presented brazenly as they rise and fall steadily against Rinkah’s heaving breaths. ‘’...Would you give it to me?’’

Flora’s inner fire answers for her. As its flames explode in intensity and size, spreading to parts of her body she never thought could get so hot, a ravenous pant more energy than voice pledges both itself and Flora’s body to Rinkah’s fire.

‘’Yes. _Yes, please._ ’’

 

* * *

 

Cloth and dress are gone before Flora knows it, Rinkah continuing her unrelenting assault as the naked maid is pushed deeper into the downs of the bed. The maid’s once cool and proper mouth has quickly turned into a sauna of heat and debauchery, the flame that is Rinkah’s tongue claiming every fragment of ice between teeth, any hint of frost across pure gum as her own before letting the ashes mix with sticky spit.

The warrior is beastial, mouth sucking sweet moans of weakness straight out of Flora throat and mindless, aching thighs pounding needfully into her own. The warrior is methodical, allowing Flora to take only the tiniest slivers of air and only when starved lungs are seconds away from breaking. Flora gladly lets that fire consume her, cries pleasure when it ravages the plains of her fair skin, begs for more as waves of raw energy are pumped deep inside her being, turning her once forbidden palace into a steaming orgy of flames and sex.

‘’So hot…’’ Flora just barely manages between her pants, mind barely a whisper beneath a sea of flame. She feels her aggressor pull back for a respite, her partner’s mind also seeping through as a teasing smile manages to flicker between surges of sultry breathing.

‘’You’re not bad yourself, good-looking...’’

When Flora tries to laugh, only a choked series of coughs stutters pass spent lips. A warm, calming hand runs up and down her back, as do lingering finger trace down her jawline. It was such an amazing feeling, to be incinerated alive one moment and warmed lovingly the next.

‘’Tell me if it’s too much, alright?’’ the Hoshidan says as hard teeth tenderly nibbles upon blushing ears..

‘’Mmm, like you’d even give me the breath to say something…’’ the Nohrian shivers, hand idling scratching marks upon sweaty muscle.

‘’Well, then just stab an icicle or something in my ass, you’ll figure it out.’’

Rinkah gives her one more tongueful of a kiss before her body glides downwards, rumbling sinful eyes whispering of what was to come as Flora gasps at the feeling of solid muscle and supple flesh drag against her length. The flames in crimson reignite when they reach the maid’s sizeable breasts, wanting hands grabbing and squeezing them lustfully, hoping to mold the imprint of their fingerprints permanently into soft fat. Rinkah crashes against her chest, hands and breath pounding their echoes deep into her ribcage as Flora fouls the air with her sweet vice. The warrior’s mouth soon joins the assault, moans growing even louder at the sensations of an infinitely hot mouth purse and suck around her mounds as if to draw milk, of teeth and tongue biting and grinding at her tips like Flora used to roll cherry pits around in her mouth. The flushed expense of the maid’s chest is soon slick with hot saliva and sweat, white, wet breasts beaten and pressed like dough.

Eventually, the hungry swarm that was Rinkah’s lust drifts ever more south, having consumed all the sex and energy out of the sticky fields of two barren and bruised hills. Grey eyes tremble when calloused hands tighty skate down her shapely torso. Shameless drool dribbles from wet lips when a tongue still soaked in the sweat of her tits slowly dances down a flexing stomach. And when she feels hot, pounding breaths soak into slits of her most sensitive spot, boiling eyes taking in the sight in the maid’s exposed glory, Flora finds herself snapping her legs close in modesty.

‘’W-Wai-’’

The sudden jolt of sharp teeth digging into her thigh ruthlessly cuts down any complaints within her throat. Seedy eyes holds her will captive, commanding fingers sink and knead the ample flesh of Flora’s soft ass, canines pierce the skin above her knee before breathily lapping up the blood. Flora’s cries of pain are impossible to distinguish from her cries of pleasure as her paper thin defenses are annihilated and her conqueror claims Flora’s riches as her own.

‘’Give it all to me…’’

Flora screams to the stars, any remnants of reservation she had left incinerated as a burning vacuum of heat and lust envelops her dripping sex. Her body struggles and convulses against the sheets, mind too far gone to control it. Strong, firm hands hold her down by the legs, however, as the unquenchable tongue thrusting in and out of the maid’s quivering hole preferring its prey binded. Her melting core gushes and throbs in mindless want, goading the pillaging tongue to paint her pink walls in a fresh coat of fiery spit, begging hot ribbing lips to suck more of her virgin honey out from corners never once touched before. Steadily, the pumping grows ever faster. She feels the thick muscle flickering with wild abandon like the flames of a bonfire, wet legs tense and flex underneath a punishing hold, her canal heat and suffocate with steam and smoke. It was all too much for sheltered, little Flora.

‘’ _Rinkahpleasebringupyourface!_ It’s going to…!!!’’

The warning, however, can’t hope to break pass the fog of lust that smothers the air between her legs, Rinkah throwing caution to the wind as the frantic motions go unhindered. And so, Flora can do nothing but offer a small apology to her friend before losing her mind to the pleasure. Her release is a messy one, waves of scorching climax coming free to drench a pretty bronze face in its depravity and legs spazzing out so chaotically that even Rinkah’s able arms cannot keep them down. As Flora’s mind slowly returns from ecstasy, weary eyes creak open to see watch Rinkah’s head lean loosely against one thigh, breathless sighs leaking out of a spent mouth as sticky strands of liquid drip down her chin.

Embarrassment sends a weak rumble through Flora’s chest. She wonders if she was screaming too loud, wonders if her buckling hips had hurt Rinkah, wonders if her climax was unpleasant to taste.

‘’U-Um...are y-’’

She manages almost two words before that sultry mouth is upon her again, Rinkah suddenly springing forwards to kiss her. One of her previous questions is answered when their tongues meet again, Rinkah’s absolutely swimming with a heavy coat of Flora’s own juices. Moans bob uselessly inside her throat, some in disgust, some in carnality at having her release thrust immediately back into her system. Sometime during the lost moments in which Flora battled with pleasure and reason, she becomes aware of something covering her besides Rinkah, eyes flickering alert to be met with near darkness and body flinching when fresh open air is taken over by suffocating steam and sex. A quick failing of her arms affirms that it was Rinkah’s heavy fur blanket.

‘’Me too, Flora…’’ The spit stealing thief sighs as she momentarily breaks away. In the dim twilight that the heavy furs has sired, a hazy mind becomes aware of Rinkah’s burning red eyes. They housed desperate dancing flames that made those pools no less noticeable despite the darkness that the two woman shared. _‘’God, please,_ give it to me too…’’

‘’Haah!’’ A lustful voice Flora thought was all but sated greedily finds its way back to sticky lips when she feels a slick, fleshy thigh run forcefully against her still wet slit. A humid breath blows sultry on her face as she feels Rinkah’s insanely hot core grind against her own thigh, red eyes fogging over with a layer of libido. When thirsty brown legs start to rock, it takes the maid less than an instant to learn and match them.

_‘’Yes!’’_

They move together like current and undertow, pursing up, surging down, reaching high, digging low. Her thigh almost jerks away on instinct, the heat emanating from Rinkah’s sweltering core so inhumanely hot. Large, sweaty breasts thump seductively into her chest, rolling over her own, supple white and brown flesh bouncing and mashing eagerly together. Pale skin is scalded red with heat, the recycled air from dripping cores, sin coaxed sweat, and sex dripping mouths looming over them both like a smog.

Flora burns in the purest sense of the word. Her icey cage is long gone, turned to steam and sweat by Rinkah’s fire. The flames lick at every inch of her skin, not a single patch of flesh safe from its hot and hungry caress. Her breath is excavated of air by heavy and thick smoke, chokes her lovingly, makes her enjoy, lust after the strain building within shuddering lungs. This was it, this was the fire she has spent her whole life fantasizing about, and Flora is all too happy to let it reduce her to cinders.

‘’Rink...pah...ha...R-Rinkah! I-I...’’ A long repressed voice stumbles pass craving pants and salacious kisses. She feels her heart gush as hard as her slit, words so precious and changing erupting straight from her desires. ‘’Ohh, I love you, Rinkah! I love you I love you I love you I love you!’’

There’s a lull in the warrior’s love making, one agonizingly long second where Rinkah stopped giving her the lust she needs. But, when it passes, burning flesh flares with urgency and passion as a voice as sweet to her ear as touch to her body yells wildly into the humid air.

‘’I love you too! I love you too, Flora, all of you!’’

The maid smiles brilliantly when graced with those words. Faded blue making love with vivid crimson, they thrust against each other fully and, finally, does euphoric release come for the two of them, hot and flushed thighs slippery against another as seas of sweat mix with oceans of climax. At long last, that fire had completely and utterly consumed Flora.

As their cries die down and the smothering furs shed, Flora begs her wasted body for just a few more breaths of energy, cupping that wonderfully warm face between trembling hands.

‘’...I love you, Rinkah.’’ the maid gushes softly. Patiently, Flora awaits the sunrise, and then swoons as dawns radiantly upon a wonderfully bright face, her cheeks flushing once more from its rays.

‘’...I love you too, Flora.’’ the woman gently whispers, happy tears pooling in grey eyes when they confirm that the beautiful words were not spoken solely from passion. Bronze arms pull Flora into a warm hold, as if to reinforce the warrior’s devotion.

She cuddles up to her new lover, basking in the haze of lingering passion and welcoming the clear skies that let her delight in pure, innocent endearment. The, now tender, flames caresses her ashes lovingly, warmth soothing aching muscles instead to igniting, embers tickling soft skin pink. To have that fire burn vivid when passionate, yet mild when affectionate. She never felt so fulfilled in all her life.

‘’F-Flora…’’ The maid hears her name spoken deliberately into her ear. The endless love is still there, but a hint of nervousness drips upon the last syllable. When Flora tries to look her lover in the eyes, she feels stiff arms tightening their hold to prevent her from doing so. ‘’...about the trade agreement…’’

‘’R-Rinkah?’’

‘’Don’t get me wrong, I mean it's great and all but...I’d like something stronger between our tribes, something more...s-significant?’’ The warm skin against Flora starts to boil and the vibrations of a pounding heart thumps ever faster. ‘’I-If there were some sort of...u-union linking our tribes together, it would be a lot easier to offer trade and relief. I would be...incredibly happy to create that union as well…’’

It takes much, much longer for Rinkah’s poorly conceived implication to click in Flora’s head than she would have liked. Her eyes leak salty with tears, her chest threats to burst, energy is desperately pumped into limbs nearly too sore to use them. She breaks easily out of the warrior’s hold and locks passionately with beautiful, startled eyes, not even seasoned muscles able to suppress a dream unable to wait.

‘’Please, please, say it to me right now, Rinkah!’’ Every motion from a shaking body, every word from a flapping mouth, oozes with desperation, begs for release. ‘’I need to hear it! Please, Rinkah, I can’t wait a single second longer!’’

Rinkah doesn’t miss a beat. When those gorgeous, crimson eyes burn as bright as the sun, Flora could care less about being blinded.

‘’Marry me, Flora! Become my bride and let me become your wife! I-mmpf!’’

Flora’s response is instant and impassionated. When they finally part from the long and devoted kiss, the maid lets her overflowing eyes spill with emotion for her friend, lover, and future wife.

‘’Thank you, thank you so much, Rinkah...I love you…’’

‘’Yeah...I love you too. I promise to make you happy, Flora, promise you’ll never have to be alone in that cage again.’’

The maid can’t help but to choke out a sob when she hears Rinkah’s tone match her affection and sing a promise sounding so completely guaranteed. She falls into Rinkah’s welcoming embrace, dreams of a future so dazzling and hopeful, touch of a lover so beautiful and faithful. At long last, Flora has been consumed by her coveted fire, at long last, she was as free as embers upon the wind, able to dance like the flames of a bonfire. At long last, she has found her fire…

‘’...my sweet fire…’’


	5. Chapter 5

Flora was burning.

Water sinks its perfect warmth into her flesh, pale skin flushes like a prairie sunrise, steam and humidity smothers her breath until it gives in entirely.

The waves leaves no part of the Ice Tribe chieftain untouched. Even as her body shudders with comfort, the waters caresses her motions just as lovingly as it had her curves, clingy to the very end.

‘’...oh, gods, you were right, Rinkah...these hot springs are amazing…’’

‘’You can say that again...they really should have made me chieftain earlier…’’

Flora giggles gently as she sinks deeper into her wife’s arm, the two enjoy the mind melting waters of the fire mountain’s hot springs underneath a starry summer sky. The war had long since ended and Flora and Rinkah crowned fellow chieftains, as well as wife and wife. The role of chieftain was a tough one and the path to peace arduous, but Flora had managed brilliantly and proudly. With the help of her loving wife, she had freed her tribe from Nohr without conflict or animosity, and built relationships and alliances with the fire tribe, Hoshido, and even the previously controlling Nohr. But, most importantly, Flora had done it her way, able to see her beautiful homeland prosper without giving up her happiness, nor selling the dignity of her people.

‘And it’s all thanks to you, Rinkah…’

Her arm wraps lovingly around her wife, which Rinkah happily accepts with a dreamy hum. Feeling a little daring, as well as frisky at rubbing naked against her lover in an outside bath, the maid lets her hand drift lower and give firm, yet full, buttocks a hearty squeeze, laughing at the girlish yelp she is rewarded.

‘’H-Hey, c-calm down there, Flora…’’ The fire chieftain tries her best to avoid seductive eyes and ignore how increasingly conscious she was of the soft curves that slide enticingly against hers. ‘’B-Bathing is one thing, but if my dad finds out I got freaky with you in the sacred mountain’s springs, he’ll probably start a rebellion against me!’’

She laughs amusedly, which Rinkah quicky joins in. Choosing to spare her wife the wrath of her god and father, she returns the hand to Rinkah’s hip as the two decide to drift their attention to the fire tribe village below, which has evolved into quite a significant settlement during Rinkah’s rule. Flora manages to spot Felicia, who was currently visiting alongside their father, as she plays with some of the tribe’s children. Well, Flora assumes Felicia thinks they are playing, but it mostly looks like the kids are using her sister as a horse and candy dispenser. She also spots her father, laughing and chatting animatedly with Rinkah’s father as the two seem to be drunk off quite a bit of Hoshidan liquor if the empty mugs around them were any indication. Their fathers eventually seem to spot her and Rinkah, Flora’s father giving a small wave while Rinkah’s father gives a grumpy glare at his daughter, which Rinkah responds by defiantly sticking out her tongue.

‘’Haaaa...well, I think it’s about time we got out if my father has anything to say about it.’’ And Flora is sure he did, given the echoes of colourful words spreading quickly through the air. She sees Rinkah slowly get up, eventually holding out a hand to the maid. Flora has to take a moment to savour how beautiful Rinkah looked naked and wet as she was bathed in the light of a full summer moon.

‘’Shall we join them, Flora?’’

‘’...yes…’’

When she lovingly took that hand, it feels warm, just of delightfully warm as it had been all that time ago when Rinkah had saved her from her prison, had proposed to her after promising the future. That fire has still yet to dim in the slightest and Flora was going to make sure it would stay that radiant for the rest of their lives, together.

‘’...my love…’’

 

* * *

 

As the two of them lazily drift past the lively and boisterous stalls of the fire tribe marketplace, hands intertwined, they eventually meet with their fathers, seemingly sobering up enough to walk, though Flora still sees a little stumble in their steps and smells some ale on their breaths.

‘’Flora, Rinkah.’’ lord Kilma says as he nods at them both, the two returning the gesture. ‘’I trust you two lovebirds are enjoying the evening?’’

A dab of pink touches the pair’s cheek, which Flora’s father gives a little chuckle at. Flora shakes away enough of her embarrassment to face her father-in-law, who takes the maid’s hand cordially as he gives Flora a kind smile.

‘’Greetings, Flora. I hope you are enjoying our tribe’s hospitality.’’

The smile on the man’s lips swiftly dies, however, turning into a firm frown as he faces his daughter, the likes of whom has prepared a cheeky grin for the coming lecture.

‘’And you, pup. I hope you’re enjoying insulting our patreon god.’’

‘’Hey, that’s Chieftain Rinkah to you, old timer. And yeah, those hot springs were pretty great.’’

Flora and her father laugh at that, the four of them walking as Rinkah and her father bark and scuffle at each other. At some point in the walk, Flora feels a soft hand upon her shoulder, turning to see her father looking at her with a small smile, but melancholy eyes fail to reflect the same message.

‘’Have you been managing well as chieftain, Flora? I know it’s a lot to take in.’’

‘’Yes...it’s been a little overwhelming at times, but it’s rewarding all the same. Besides, Rinkah has been a huge help.’’

Her father’s smile falters a touch in response, a clear guilt weighing on his mind. Flora gives him only a few words before rejecting those thoughts.

‘’Flora, I’m so sor-’’

She puts a comforting hand upon her father’s, looking at him with forgiving eyes.

‘’Please, you don’t have to say it, father...There may have been a point in where I hated you, but I know that you were only looking out for the tribe and mine and Felicia’s safety. Besides, I’m truly and utterly happy now...so know that there is nothing to apologize for, father. I still love you.’’

Kilma stiffens with surprise before tenderly calling back the smile to his lips, wiping away the mist that fogged at his vision. He nods silently and Flora smiles as well as father and daughter finally put their painful past behind them.

‘’Faaather! Floraaaaa!’’

A high pitched voice stops the group in its tracks. Stumbling clumsily through the crowd, Flora sees Felicia running hastily towards her, her traditional Hoshidan dress (Flora believes it was called a kimono) coming undone. Her sister nudges up to Flora in distress, body perking straight when she notices the other members of the group.

‘’R-Rinkah! Lord Rinkah’s father! M-My dress is slipping off and I don’t know how to tie it! Those kids were waaaaay too rough with me!’’ Felicia whines as she futility attempts to tie the numerous sashes together.

‘’Goodness, Felicia.’’ Flora mummers as her sister squirms in her arms. ‘’You really must stop being so clumsy. You are the new queen of Valla now, after all.’’

‘’Ha, don’t be so rough on her, Flora! Those kids are little devils in disguise, no doubt!’’ Rinkah takes the surprised Felicia from her wife’s hands and starts methodically tightening the sashes. ‘’Here, let me, Felicia. I am technically your big sister now!’’

‘’O-Oh, yeah! Thanks...big sis!’’

A touch of jealousy touches Flora’s face at the sight of her little sister so happily finding a replacement for Flora, Kilma and Rinkah’s father sharing a secret look and laugh.

‘’Dango, get your moist, chewy, delicious dango here! Finest in all the lands!’’

The loud advertisement causes the maid’s ears to perk, that particular voice bold over all the others because of how passionate the seller seems to be about the product in question.

‘’Oh, they’re making dango tonight? That stall makes the best sweets!’’ Rinkah temporarily looks up from the kimono to sniff the sugar filled air. ‘’Hey, Flora! Mind getting me some while I finish tying Felicia’s dress?’’

‘’Yeah, of course, of course.’’ she sighs, knowing just how strong her wife’s sweet tooth was. She looked at the rest of their party. ‘’Anyone else want some?’’

‘’Oh no, the kids made me buy TONS of food when I was playing with them!’’ her sister says. ‘’Couldn’t eat another bite!’’

‘’None for us either, Flora. Me and Rinkah’s father already had dinner.’’ Kilma repeats, Rinkah’s father wordlessly giving a pat on his stomach to emphasize the point.

With a nod, Flora walks off to procure dessert for two. Upon reaching the shop, she has to admit, effective advertising withstanding, the dango stall definitely did stand out from the rest, aesthetics very colorfully decorated and vibrant with wooden cutouts of fiery rabbits pounding a sort of dough.

‘’Ah, honey, we have esteemed company tonight!’’ the chipper fire tribe shopkeeper cries to his equally giddy wife as Flora approaches. The man gives a bow, which causes a bit of a blush to rise to Flora’s lips at being addressed at so formally. ‘’Lady Flora, chieftain of the ice tribe and wife to our illustrious leader, this humble husband and wife gives you our sincerest welcomes.’’

‘’Yes, ahem....thank you.’’ Flora sighs, noticing a couple passersbys stopping to watch. ‘’Anyways, I’d like two, please.’’

‘’Two of our finest sticks of delectably chewy dango, coming right up, my liege! Honey dearest, let us make this a treat to remember!’’ the man yells playfully, a tad too much for his age a less accepting person would have added.

‘’Coming right up, sweetie!’’ the shopkeeper’s bubbly wife says, giving her husband a kiss before running off to pound some dough on a table behind him, leaving Flora alone with the man.

‘’So, Lady Flora, how are you enjoying our quaint little village, hmm?’’ the man all but sings, deciding to make small talk with Flora. ‘’It must be quite a change from the icy verandas your tribe calls home.’’

‘’Mmm, this place is a very stark difference from what I am used to, indeed.’’ she says, returning the whimsical smile offered. ‘’But, I suppose that is why I love it so much. The sights, the heat, the energy, it is such a privilege to experience it all.’’

‘’Are you talking about our village, or our chieftain?’’

Flora sputters indignantly, nearly sprinkling the shopkeeper’s face with spit as pale cheeks blush up a storm. Frowning lips fail to suppress a scowl at the man’s teasing laughter.

‘’Aww, stop messing with the poor girl, sweetie!’’ the maid hears the shopkeeper’s wife say as she returns with a cluster of doughy balls speared on two sticks. ‘’Chieftain Rinkah is really going to let you have it if she finds out you were picking on her lovely bride!’’

‘’Oh, my earnest apologizes, Lady Flora, please do not tattle on me! Now, how about I offer this for my penitence!’’ The man takes the dango from his wife, exchanging them for a kiss, and begins topping the dessert with a multitude of garnishes, from sparkling honey to crunchy waffle shards. The maid’s craving for sugar isn’t as strong as Rinkah’s, but even she can’t help but to drool at the sight of such tantalizing decadence.  

‘’Here you are, my dear, two perfectly delicious sticks of dango!’’ the man sings as he hands Flora the two treats. She thanks the pair and is about to pay the shopkeeper his handful of coin, but is surprised when she is met with a dismissing palm.

‘’Ah, that will not be necessary, Lady Flora. This husband and wife will not take more than they are due.’’ the shopkeeper firmly says to a confused Flora. His weathered eyes slowly crease softly in quiet reveraly as the man chuckles and holds his loving wife closer. ‘’...because that dango was already paid for many, many years ago, with a verse of encouraging words and an applause ever so inspiring beneath a snowy sky.’’

‘’What are you…!!!’’ It suddenly dawns upon the maid. The whimsical way of speaking, the animals made of fire decorating his stall, the mustache that ruffles wildly even in the still evening air. Squinting, she notices that the man wasn’t actually Hoshidan, but a Nohrian, tanned by the fire tribe sun.

‘’Y-You...y-you are the bard...from so long ago…’’ she whispers, nearly dropping the dango in astonishment.

‘’HA! Yes, my little one no longer so little! Tis I, the dreamy bard from a childhood dressed in sugar plums and tinsel!’’ the bard boosts, his wife rolling her eyes at the act. ‘’While helping my lovely wife make delicious dango is my day job, those ballads you remember ever so fondly come to life upon the weekends as my lute and song refuse to die! So, my dear, you have been keeping well, I trust?’’

‘’Yes! Yes, of course…’’ Flora childishly gushes, turning equally fond eyes upon the bard. ‘’...Thank you ever so much for singing to me that night...hehe, mister, and I’m glad you finally found your stiff ice to melt.’’

‘’WHO THE HELL ARE YA CALLIN STIFF?!’’

Flora jumps at the sudden shift in demeanor from the wife before watching the woman quickly turn red as a tomato and attempting to shrink into her husband’s arm. ‘’...m-my sincere apologies, Lady Flora. I-I didn’t mean that...’’

‘’Haha, and how stiff this ice is, eh, little one?! You would not believe the pain, physically and mentally, I had to go through before we finally realized we were soulmates!’’ he teases, earning an annoyed flick in return. The bard then turns dramatic eyes upon Flora. ‘’And so, as this old bard’s act concludes to thunderous applause, and the audience cries encore at sight of your curtains rising high to the sky and promising the show of a lifetime, I will ask you, little one: Was your future ever bright? Was your fire ever sweet?’’

‘’My future…’’ Flora mutters before two anticipating smiles. She closes her eyes, thinking about the future that had passed since her first meeting with the bard, as well as the future that has yet to pass with a particular woman at her side. She smiles, tender flames shining hopefully through. ‘’...blindingly bright. And my fire…’’

She turns away from the couple and walks back to her group. Rinkah is quick to notice and meet her, finished correcting Felicia’s kimino.

‘’Hey, thanks, Flora!’’

Her wife gratefully takes the dango held out to her and Flora laughs when she finishes the sugary treat in seconds, as Flora knew she would. The maid doesn’t even bother to touch her own food before diving in to claim hot, chapped lips as her own. She hears their fathers stutter and mutter awkwardly, she hears Felicia squeal and babble gleefully, she hears a nostalgic, hearty laugh flaunt out from back at the stall, but, most importantly, she hears her beautiful loving wife hum adorably inside their mouths, tasting the fresh dough and sugar on Rinkah’s hot tongue. When they seperate, grey eyes lower in unending affection as they meet with burning, passionate crimson. She knows the fire they shared would never be extinguished.

‘’...sickeningly sweet.’’

 

_Ice, oh ice, how stiff I am_

_Frozen to the ground!_

_Would anyone care to dance with me_

_Two birds in the sky, unbound!_

 

_Fire, sweet fire, how bright I burn_

_won’t you let me melt your heart!_

_Oh won’t you run away with me_

_two souls shall never be apart!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody phone Webster and tell them there ain't enough synonyms in the dictionary for 'fire' and 'hot'. Anywho, this thing was stuck half done on my drive for years, but I figured I couldn't do that to such a cute pairing, so, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
